"I heard the screeches coming from the highway. I look over and I see the impact," witness Jay Seeley said.

The vehicle ended up on its roof, on the railing at the edge of the bridge, with a small portion of the car extending from the edge of the overpass over the roadway below.

"We knew it was bad. One man was out on the street, and two were pinned in the car," District Chief Michael Conley said. "Not only do we have a rescue, but I am worried about the car going over the railing, too."

The three victims were taken to UMass Medical Center. Police said Brian Pedone, 28, of Leominster, died Friday evening.

The other two victims, who have only been identified as a 31-year-old Grafton man and a 45-year-old Worcester man, remain in critical condition.